22-Year-Old Chhattisgarh Man Dies Of Snakebite, Locals Burn Snake Alive On His Funeral Pyre

A video of the incident shows some locals claiming that they burned the snake out of fear that it would bite someone else.

A 22-year-old man from the Korba district of Chhattisgarh died after being bitten by a venomous snake. Scared the snake may harm others, local residents subsequently caught it and burnt it alive on the man's funeral pyre on Sunday. 

Speaking to India Today, a district official emphasised the need to educate people about snakes and how to prevent snakebite injuries. 

Another local official told India Today that the victim, Digeshwar Rathiya, was bitten by a common krait on Saturday night while preparing his bed at home in Baigamar village. 

Rathiya informed his family members that a snake had bitten him, following which he was rushed to a government hospital in Korba where he lost his life during treatment on Sunday morning, he said. After his postmortem, Rathiya's body was returned to his family for cremation.

The local residents then caught the snake, and used a rope suspended from a stick to tie the reptile.

The villagers then dragged the snake to the crematorium during Rathiya's funeral procession from his home, and burnt it on his pyre. Some locals claimed they burned the snake out of fear that it would bite someone else. When questioned about the incident, Ashish Khelwar, the Sub-Divisional Officer for Korba, said the villagers would not face any action for killing the snake.

Even so, the officer emphasised the importance of creating awareness about snakes and snakebites. The reptiles, he added, play a vital role in preserving our ecosystem.

Woman Bitten By Snake In Bihar

Similarly, another incident from Bihar came to light on July 20 where a woman was bitten by the snake while she was cleaning the house. When she shouted for help, her husband, Rahul rushed in and found the snake hiding behind the picture of a deity.

Alond with his wife, Rahul also brought the snake to hospital that bit her. He picked up the reptile with a stick and put it in a bucket. By that time, his wife, Nisha, had fainted. Rahul then somehow propped up her on his bike and carried to the hospital. He hung the bucket containing the snake on the handlebar, reported NDTV.